Q&A: John J. Koncelik, D.O. (’82)

Anesthesiology

 Why did you choose anesthesiology?

 I started out in emergency medicine in Dayton. I was an emergency care physician for three years, during which time I saw a lot of child abuse, domestic abuse—very emotional stuff. I realized that I still wanted acute care medicine, but with a better lifestyle, without dealing with the intense emotions of the ER, so anesthesiology worked for me.

 What’s your favorite aspect of the field?

 I really enjoy talking to patients. In my field I have to gain the trust and confidence of a patient very quickly before delivering a positive medical experience and taking them to the next phase of treatment. It’s very gratifying interaction.

 What’s the most challenging?

 You do have to be on call. Anesthesiologists guard the operating room doors 24 hours a day. It’s a wide-stretching field that encompasses obstetrics, trauma, cardiovascular—everything. There’s a real demand for anesthesiologists, so the time commitment can be pretty big.

 Did you have any mentors that stood out at OU-COM?

 Doctors Tony Chila and Dan Marazon. Since I had just gotten out of college—I was one of only eight students fresh out of college in my class—I was kind of a wild root, and they helped me stay focused and driven.

 Is campus much different than you remember?

 You know, I probably never really noticed campus so much before. I knew that campus was beautiful, but as medical students, we tended to stick to a smaller triangle of campus life.

 Why did you choose osteopathic medicine?

 I was looking at allopathic schools, and this college was brand new. I didn’t know much about osteopathic medicine, but one of my best friends’ fathers was associate dean at OU-COM. I started talking with him, and I decided that osteopathic medicine seemed less rigid—a more complete and sensitive version of medicine versus the strict, didactic allopathic school. I wanted to really explore the field, to see and touch and experience all different angles and perspectives.